L'infernale poursuite

This TV movie was Black Dog, Thunder Run and The Road Warrior all rolled into one, though it was made before the others. David Janssen from the TV series The Fugitive is a truck driver who has lost his truck driving license. It will be temporarily reinstated if he drives a load from Los Angeles to Houston, and, upon completion of the run, it will be permanently reinstated. Gee, can the law really be manipulated like that? Didn't that happen in Black Dog? Keenan Wynn plays his co-driver. They drive one of the White Freightliner cabovers popular at that time. Along the way, people try to highjack the load. Gee, didn't that happen in Thunder Run? They stop for a while in the desert. Will they make it to Houston? And what were they hauling, anyway?

David Janssen, as Jake, and Keenan Wynn, as his partner and pal Donny, are independent truckers who are hired along with their big rig by a man named Kleiner (William Schallert) to haul an unknown cargo from Los Angeles to Houston for a handsome stipend of $6000, but with a deadline to be met for their labours. Kleiner is apparently a front man for a corporation dealing in government contracts, and the only description he will offer the driving duo of their sealed cargo is that it is "non-explosive and non-chemical", sweetening the payoff with a guarantee that Jake's driving license, temporarily reactivated for this assignment, will be permanently reinstated upon its timely completion, having been suspended after he punched an officer at a weighing station outlet. Success of the journey quickly becomes in doubt, as the 18 wheeler is harried by a persistent group of men with homicidal tendencies who obviously are covetous of the van contents and who must be continually fought off by Jake and Donny as their pursuers, little heeding the rules of the road, employ automatic weapons and a helicopter in their highjacking attempts. When not warding off sallies from the stalkers, Jake finds time for the obligatory romantic interlude, his paramour being a young woman (Lee Purcell) living with her grandfather in a highway bypassed hamlet, and their entr'acte, although handled with taste, makes little sense unless one accepts that some sort of intermission is called for by the cargo hunters. Even less rational is the climactic conflict between the two buddies and their violence-prone adversaries, but the film's ending includes a nicely ironic twist and the relationship between the two friends, although skimpily developed, is the best part of the scenario, since Donny has a heart "condition" and Jake's concern for him is made convincing by Janssen.

If they'd have set up a completely do-able police escort, then this movie would not have been necessary. It's about two truckers (Janssen and Wynn) who, absent any official assistance, contract (for much more than usual pay) to drive an 18-wheeler to Houston, some distance away. We are led to believe that their trailer contains top-secret private-sector-to-government cargo, which is of interest to a gang of interceptors willing to kill to get it. In addition to the attempted foils of the bandits (including tampering with the rig; setting up a bogus road-block and detour; even a helicopter attack), the duo is also delayed by the overweightness of the equipment and police interest in Janssen's unregistered hand-gun. A problem-solving letter carried by the pair, however, gets them out of those binds, but, for some reason, that escort/relay wasn't arranged. And, amongst all this, Janssen even has time for a little romance. That pretty much tells everything except the conclusion. My guess, though, is that only about 5 of 10 will consider this trip worthwhile. Oh, and by the way... notice how - in the opening scene - Janssen comes boppin' in in his bob-tail; yet we learn a short time later that his driver's license has been suspended.

Why wouldn't such important stuff be better protected?? why would they hire a man who lost his license?? not logical unless the company WANTS it stolen or its a decoy you'd think they'd get cops sooner with a co-driver and important load, why stop at motel? 40-50 shots until stopping truck! truck versus helicopter only good is final punch

The plot for "Hijack!" is bizarre and seldom makes a lot of sense. Even when the ending supposedly explains everything...it still is confusing and nonsensical. It just goes to show you that not every made for TV film of the 70s is worth seeing, as this one has more holes than a ton of Swiss cheese!

David Janssen plays a down and out semi truck driver. He's recently lost his license and is in dire straits. So, it seems like a godsend when he's approached with a deal that is just too good to be true....to transport a shipment to Houston for ten times the normal rate!! He is told that his cargo is vitally important to the US government and he's encouraged to bring along a co-driver....another down and outer (Keenan Wynn).

Soon after they leave, it's obvious that they are being followed. And, it's soon apparent that these folks mean to do them harm. And, when the various attempts on their lives fail, the baddies respond by sending a helicopter after the shipment!!

Over and over again, I found myself thinking "why did they go that?" or "why didn't they do that?"...and I am sure everyone watching the film thought the same things. Such as, why not go to the police sooner? When the first cops seemed indifferent, why not find other cops? Why not park the vehicle at a police station or National Guard Armory? Why not contact the FBI? Why, why, why, why??? I could come up with many more whys but the bottom line is that I felt that the film insulted the viewer because it left so many plot holes in the script. It also was an insult to Janssen and Wynn, as they gave it their best but the script was just junk. A really bad film because a comprehensible script IS necessary when you make a picture!

It would be interesting to learn who originated this story of bamboozled couriers. Though this movie was made in 1974, a 1963 story by Gene Roddenberry appeared as The Virginian episode 1:29, 'Run Away Home' featuring this same basic plot with the same slug-fisted ending. I remember seeing it reworked again in 1988 as Miami Vice 5:6, 'Line of Fire' where Sonny Crockett is transporting a 'top secret' witness. Another variant is Airwolf 3:18, 'Hawke's Run'. Does anybody remember any other variations? I am sure there must be more. This plot-line seems to be another one of those television tropes that pops up every few years wearing another hat or in this case, being transported by another vehicle, i.e. horse, truck, or boat.